Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Errrrday is a Holiday

As the holiday season comes to a close, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the new year ahead. How can I make 2013 better than 2012? Like most Americans, I usually make a list of resolutions that include exercise, losing weight, drinking less, etc. I write them all down on a piece of paper and I’m lucky if I make it to Super Bowl Sunday before I’m knee deep in wings and beer. It is an ugly cycle that repeats itself every year.

I sat down to make my little list today and started to feel an overwhelming sense of dread and anxiety. Instead of forging ahead, I decided to take a step back and ponder why I felt this way. This is what I came up with:

I’m 35 years old. I have a full-time (plus plus) job, a husband and a toddler. This means that I wake up at 5:30 am every weekday to send emails before my daughter wakes up. Once she’s up, I get her fed, bathed, dressed and take her to day care. From there, I get myself ready, work all day and before I know it, my husband and daughter are walking through the door and there’s no dinner on the table. Day over. Wash, rinse, repeat.

The last time I checked, it was 2008. WTF has the time gone? How much longer will I continue to live this way until I make a change?

Don’t get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my life. We definitely manage to have more fun than the average bear. The only problem is that we cram ALL this fun into the two days at the end of the week and then spend the next five days on autopilot—emailing, making calls, robot parenting and masquerading as adults. And if after reading my daily routine you were wondering when laundry and grocery shopping gets done, the answer is sometimes it doesn’t.

I love my job. When I am at work, I am genuinely engaged and passionate about what I do. I love my daughter and husband. In my very biased opinion, they are the most adorable humans on the planet and there is no one I would rather spend my time with. However, at the end of the day, something is missing.

I simply cannot make New Year’s resolutions for 2013. As much as I want to force myself to exercise and try some freaky new diet that requires me to eat like a caveman, I don’t think that is the answer for me in 2013. Instead, I have decided to make every day of the next year interesting.

Yes, I will be my own little version of “The Most Interesting Woman in the World.” There are so many things I want to try and experience (and in some cases, re-experience), yet I never make time for them. I get so caught up in my lame ass routine that I don’t even entertain adding something new and exciting to the work week. I realized today that has to change. You cannot live for weekends.

Following is a list of things I RESOLVE to accomplish (or at least try) in 2013:

1. Make my own champagne. This will really cut down on expenses.

2. Make a craft or recipe from Pinterest at least once a week.

3. Run the Pittsburgh Marathon (I know I have done this before, but it doesn’t get less difficult)

4. Blog regularly again.

5. Make a fabric covered headboard.

6. Start Pure Barre classes.

7. Flip a house.

8. Spend more time laughing with people I love.

After reading this list, it seems as though I might become “The Most Interesting Crafter in the World,” but this is my list and I’m definitely not normal.

As depressing as it is that the holidays are over, I am truly excited to begin my new year and I hope you are too. Sometimes spending quality time with the people you love helps you to realize that you don’t have to wait until special occasions to enjoy life. You just have to make a plan and make it happen.